Millennium Sages
by bright-hart
Summary: Start after Duelist Kingdom. The gate was sealed centuries ago, but something seeks to open the world to the shadows beyond. Will the guardian's wake in time to prevent it? Will their master ever regain his full memories? It's all in the hands of fate
1. Prologue

**Prologue: Ancient Dreams**

"Where….where am I?"

A young girl of about 16 walked through a dimly lit hall. Torches were attached to the walls at intervals and in the light the walls looked like there were covered with pictures. The place felt very archaic to this frightened girl and dressed only in her pajamas she felt very out of place. And yet this place seemed familiar to her.

"But…why?"

The girl stopped to take a closer look at the walls. It looked like a battle between monsters, with people controlling them. One person stood above the rest and this strange looking eye seemed to be everywhere.

"This is too weird, what does this mean?"

She continued her walk down the seemingly endless hall but after a while she came to a stop. A huge arched mirror blocked her path. The mirror was completely black, not even reflecting the light of the torches. The girl moved cautiously closer to the mirror, drawn to it even though she trembled with fear. Finally, she stood in front of the mirror but nothing could be seen in its dark depths.

The girl steeled herself and bravely reached out to touch the mirror. It was cool beneath her fingers and she could find no flaw in its smooth, hard surface. The murky darkness of the mirror began to swirl at her touch and out of its shadowy expanse a person appeared. The girl gasped in surprise and took a step back from the mirror. She was greatly shaken by how much the spirit in the mirror looked like her, except a little older and wiser. The girl reflected in the mirror was dressed in ancient Egyptian style clothes and had little gold beads attached to strands of her red-gold hair. "She appears much more elegant and powerful than me." The girl thought to herself, "But her eyes seem quite sad."

"Who are you? Why do you look like me? Where am I?" The girl breathlessly demanded the mysterious person.

The strange reflection smiled dolefully, "You are in an ancient place, a place that even time itself has forgotten. I had hoped this day would never come….but he needs you."

The girl frowned and asked, "Who needs me? And who are you? What's going on?"

"Darkness is spreading; the time of awakening is drawing near. The sages are again needed by their master."

"Master? Sages? I don't understand!" The girl stammered in fear and slowly started to back away from the mirror. "Who are you!" she whispered in a frightened voice.

"I am you. The awakening is at hand….wake up….wake up or be lost to the darkness."

The reflection began to reach out towards the girl, the still surface of the mirror rippled as the hand reached from beyond its glassy confines. The girl screamed in horror and fell backward...

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Brighty woke up screaming and drenched in sweat. She glanced wildly around her bedroom, fear still clutching at her heart. Everything was familiar to her; nothing had changed or was out of place. "It was just a dream….just a dream…." she consoled to herself, still breathing heavily. She fell back against the pillows still shivering from the aftermath of her dream. She stared at the ceiling with troubled eyes, "But it felt so real…" She rolled over to try and go back to sleep but something poked her on her cheek, causing her to sit up. She explored along her pillow and she picked up what felt like a little round bead. Brighty reached over to her nightstand to turn on the lamp so that she could have a better look at her discovery.

Brighty gasped in bewilderment as she marveled at what she found, "It can't be…."

In the palm of her hand rested a gold bead embedded with a strange looking eye…


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Hart's Introduction**

Brighty sat in front of her vanity mirror, brushing her hair. She had faint circles under her eyes from not sleeping well the night before. Sighing, she laid her brush aside and again she glanced at the little, clear glass box that contained the strange looking bead.

"Where did it come from?" Brighty wondered aloud, "And that weird dream...why does it all feel so familiar?"

A knock at her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts. "Miss Hart, you breakfast is ready and the car has been called for to take you to school."

Brighty stifled a giggle at her ever-so-proper butler, "Thank you, Martin. I shall be right down." She gave one last apprehensive glance at the bead and then headed downstairs for breakfast.

--------

Brighty snapped her head back up as she tried valiantly not to fall asleep in history class. This was always her last class of the day and the most boring. The teacher could put himself to sleep.

Truthfully, she didn't need to be in this class, or in school for that matter. She had been tutored since a very young age. Brighty could almost hear her mother now, "I don't understand why you choose to go to that school. With your breading, money and brains you could be in a respected private school." That was all true, but at least here at Domino High School she could be a normal girl. Brighty had only been coming here for about a week now and had yet to make any friends, but she was determined to.

The bell rang and there was a collective sigh of relief from the whole class. Finally, freedom was at hand! Brighty stretched and collected her books to leave. Thankfully she didn't have a board meeting to attend today and had some free time to explore the town at her leisure.

"Hey, Joey! Want to stop by the game shop this afternoon?" Brighty overheard the kid that sat in front of her say to a tall blond guy. "Grandpa just got some new cards in yesterday and there are some really good ones."

"Yeah, sounds cool, Yugi. I'm needing a few new cards for my deck." Brighty rolled her eyes slightly at this Joey characters' tough guy act.

"Tea, Tristan, How about you two? Want to come?" Yugi asked a bubbly, brown haired girl and a tall guy with a funky brown hair-do, though his hair wasn't as bad as his friend Yugi's.

"Sorry, Yugi, I have to work." Tea said with a sigh, "and it's a new job so I can't be late. See ya all tomorrow!" She waved to her friends as she ran out the door.

"Bye, Tea!" Yugi waved back and then turned back to his other two friends, "What about you, Tristan?"

"No can do. My sister roped me into babysitting for her tonight." Tristan scowled at thinking of having to put up with the little brat.

Joey laughed and punched Tristan in the arm, "Poor Tristan. Got suckered, huh?"

Tristan smacked Joey upside the head, "It's easier than babysitting you." The two friends bickered back and forth as they trailed Yugi out of the classroom.

Brighty finished gathering her stuff together and headed out herself. "Hmmm….a game shop, huh?" She speculated, "Well, why not. I have nothing better to do today. Besides, my deck could use a new card or two as well."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Game Shop Experience**

Brighty strolled down the street, enjoying the soothing afternoon breeze. Her driver, Parker, had not been happy when he had been informed that his services were not needed at the moment. A small argument had taken place but Brighty had prevailed of course. She told Parker that he could pick her up at the game shop in an hour. That had pacified the driver and given Brighty at least one hour of freedom.

Brighty paused for a moment, observing the flow of people and cars around her. Nothing seemed out of place but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Brighty took another second to try and find the source of her discomfort. Finding nothing wrong Brighty shook her head and continued her stroll. "Must just be my imagination but maybe…." Brighty halted once more and scanned the area. "Come on, girl!" she berated, "You're just jumping at shadows." She continued to walk but at a mite faster pace.

Across the street, a figure moved deeper into the shadows of an alley.

--------

Brighty stood outside the game shop looking at the bright letters and the items on display in the windows. "I hope they don't think I'm a terrible snoop. For that matter, why didn't they notice I was right behind them in class? Actually, it's like the whole school hasn't noticed my presence at all this week. I wonder why?" Brighty shook her head and puts those thoughts aside for later. "Stop stalling," she chided.

She took a deep breath and gripped her courage in both hands. She opened the door to the shop and her eyes widened in shock at the scene before her. Yugi was laughing his head off at Joey as he drooled over some cards and argued with an old guy behind the counter. Brighty judged this to be Yugi's grandpa, considering their hair-dos where the same.

"Come on, grandpa. I'm one of the top duelists in the world! And a top duelist needs a tight deck," Joey whined to Mr. Motou.

Mr. Motou heaved a long suffering sigh, "I told you, Joey, if you don't have enough money for both cards you'll have to choose which one you want. I can't just give cards away."

Joey grinned cockily, "Not even to good friends of the family?"

Mr. Motou rolled his eyes, "Especially for them."

Joey made a face and gazed woefully down at the two cards in his hands. "But I can't pick! I need both cards to vamp up my deck!"

Yugi finally managed to get his laughter under control and caught his breath. "I'll buy one card for you, Joey. It's the least I can do for a friend."

Joey's face brightened into a wide grin and he slapped Yugi on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Thanks, Yug! You're a real pal!" Joey went back to drooling over his new cards. "Just wait until I get to use these babies…."

Yugi started to laugh again as Mr. Motou rung up the cards. He finally spotted Brighty just standing near the door looking a trifle glassy-eyed. "Well, hello there, Miss. Didn't hear you come in. Anything I can help you with?"

Brighty jumped a little self consciously, "Oh….I'm sorry. I didn't want to interrupt."

Yugi stopped laughing and Joey looked up from his cards to see who the newcomer was. Before them was a girl with long, wavy red-gold hair and deep green eyes. She stood a little taller than Yugi and wore the Domino High uniform.

Mr. Motou smiled reassuringly at the timid, young girl. "You didn't interrupt a thing. These two are in here almost every day."

Yugi stared at the girl for a second. "She seems familiar," he thought and then asked, "You go to Domino High too?"

Brighty blushed lightly as she answered him, "Yeah….I sit behind you in class actually."

"That must be it, but why is it I can't seem to remember her being there?" Yugi frowned slightly as he pondered that over.

Mr. Motou again smiled and teased her gently, "That must be why you're here then. Overheard these two goons talking about this place, huh?"

Brighty blushed harder and stared down at her feet. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

Mr. Motou chuckled softly. "Don't be, they were probably talking loud enough for the whole class to hear them," he told her reassuringly. "You must be new in town, I haven't seen you here before."

Still blushing lightly, Brighty gazed up at them through her eyelashes, "That's right, sir, I've only been here a week now. My name is Bright Hart, sir, I'm very pleased to meet you."

Grandpa Motto grinned back at her kindly, "As I am pleased to meet you, Miss Hart, and please call me grandpa, most everyone does. Now then what can I help you with?"

Brighty shuffled closer to the counter. "I came to see your duel monster cards," she said. "Like Joey my deck could use a tune up as well. And please, call me Brighty. I get called 'Miss Hart' enough by others."

"Very well, Brighty, see anything you like?" Grandpa asked.

Brighty looked over the cards spread out on the counter top. Her eyes started to wander a little, looking at the things inside the glass counter. She paled slightly as her gaze was drawn to a funny looking bead. The bead was about the size of the tip of her little finger, gold in appearance, and with a strangely shaped eye on it.

Yugi had been observing Brighty the whole time that she looked over the cards, puzzled over the funny feeling of knowing her from somewhere. He noticed her go pale and followed her field of vision to see what could have caused this reaction, "Hey, grandpa, where did you get that bead? I haven't seen it before."

"What bead?" Grandpa asked, peering into the counter. His face lit up with understanding, "Oh that!" He reached in and pulled out the little bead. "My friend Arthur sent it to me. He found it on a dig in Egypt," he held the bead out in his hand so the two kids could get a closer look at it.

Yugi gasped in shock, "It has the Millennium Eye on it! Just like my Puzzle!"

Grandpa nodded his head, "Yes it does. Arthur isn't sure if it holds any significance or not, but he said he had a profound feeling to send it to me. Said he knew it needed to come to me. I'm not sure why, though, but in any case it is an interesting little thing." Grandpa frowned as he looked at Brighty's entranced expression. He didn't know why but he had this strange urge to give the bead to her, like it belonged to her or something.

Brighty could barely take her eyes off the bead. She felt a slight pulling on her soul, like a string was attached between her and the bead and was being tugged on. She lightly shook herself, trying to throw off the funny feeling, "Its lovely, in a strange sort of way." Brighty picked up a card at random from the counter top, "This one, I'll take this card."

Grandpa put the bead down and looked at the card Brighty chose, "Ah, Wingweaver, a good choice I think."

Brighty blinked and took a better look at the card in her hand. She didn't know why but it felt right, like finding an old friend, "Yeah, me too."

As Brighty dug out the money for the card, the door chimes went off. Everyone turned to see a man in uniform standing there, "Miss Hart, there was a call from the office. It seems a problem has arisen and they need you there."

Brighty sighed in exasperation, "Can't they survive one day without me? I'll be right there, Parker." Parker headed back out to the car as Brighty handed over the money to Grandpa and pocketed her new card. "Thank you, Mr. Mo….I mean, Grandpa. I'm sorry I have to run like this, but…."

Grandpa just smiled, "Duty calls, I understand. But you seem a bit young to be running an office."

Brighty rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Tell that to my parents. They are the ones that assigned me to the Tokyo branch. Anyways, I must be going now."

"One moment, Brighty, here," Grandpa handed her the bead, "Think of it as a welcome present."

Brighty stared at the bead in shock for a moment and then smiled beautifully, "Oh thank you, Grandpa," she said a bit breathlessly, "bye!" Brighty hurried out the door.

Yugi stared at his grandpa in surprise, "Why did you do that, Grandpa? You friend gave that to you!"

Grandpa just nodded and stared at the door in thought for a second, "Just a feeling, Yugi. That it belongs with her."

"Oh…" was all Yugi could think of to say. "She does seem nice, and I feel like I've met her before. What about you, Joey…Joey?"

Both Yugi and Grandpa turned to see that Joey hadn't moved an inch and wore a completely dumb struck look on his face. "Joey, are you okay?" Yugi asked his friend, a bit worriedly.

Joey said in a very silly voice, "I think I'm in love." Yugi and Grandpa both face vault in surprise.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Kaiba v. Hart – Round 1**

Brighty quickly walked through the entrance of Hart Incorporated. By the quickness of her step and the irritated look on her face it was easy to deduce that she was very displeased with this summons. The security guards snapped to attention at the doors and the receptionist hurriedly got to his feet with a distressed expression on his face. "Miss Hart…" he began.

Brighty cut him off with a sharp look as she continued on towards the elevators, "Arthur, call upstairs and let them know I'm here. Tell them they better have a good explanation ready." Brighty made her way to her private elevator, stepped inside, and pushed the button for the top floor.

Arthur swallowed nervously and nodded, "Yes, Miss Hart." He turned back to his desk and reached for the phone to call upstairs.

"Oh, and Arthur," Brighty flashed a smile as the doors started to close. "Good afternoon."

Arthur visibly relaxed and returned her a timid smile, "Good afternoon, Miss Hart." The elevator doors closed.

---------

Brighty watched the elevator light as it approached the top floor. She slowly loosened the tension of her neck and shoulders and took a deep breath to calm her temper. She let her breath out slowly just as the elevator bell chimed the floor. She put on her game face as the doors opened, and she stepped out into a sea of utter chaos.

"He came out of no where….."

"……walked in like he owned the place."

"Couldn't stop him…."

"Miss Hart…."

"Miss Hart…."

Brighty raised an eyebrow as many of her top executives babbled on like mindless idiots. Fully exasperated with their nonsense chatter she turned to the one calm person in the reception room.

Kendra, Brighty's personal secretary, slightly rolled her eyes at the spectacle. Brighty suppressed a laugh and finally raised her voice to be heard over them, "What!" Everyone went quiet and Brighty continued on in a more normal tone, "Is going on here?"

Kendra cleared her throat to get everyone's attention, "Miss Hart, Seto Kaiba is waiting to see you."

"Okay…." Brighty glanced around the reception room and then back at Kendra with an obvious question in her eyes.

Kendra grimaced slightly, "I'm sorry, Miss Hart, he just walked right into your office and ordered us to track you down."

Brighty gave Kendra an 'are you serious' look. "Who does this rich boy think he is?" she grumbled to herself. She then turned to her high paid and dumb struck executives, "Ladies and gentlemen, I will deal with the interloper and I'm sure you all have business to get back to. I bid you all a good-day." Brighty made her way to her office door, "Kendra, hold all my calls." Brighty halted and took a deep breath to try and calm her rising agitation. After a moment of centering herself, she marched into her office.

The first thing she saw was Kaiba relaxing in her chair, looking out her windows. Highly infuriated now, Brighty crossed her arms and asked in the sweetest of tones, "Enjoying the view?"

Kaiba swiveled around in the chair and gave an ironic smile, "Finally decided to grace me with your presence?"

"Left your manners at home, I see," Brighty replied drolly. "You caught me on my day off."

Kaiba leaned back in the chair and rested his elbows on the arms, "I just though it was time to see what kind of opponent your parents decided to send against me this time." Taking his time, he casually inspected Brighty, "Were they planning for you to seduce me? Because you don't look to have the brains to do much else to me."

The room temperature visibly dropped as Brighty stalked across the office to place her hands on the desk top. She leaned across it to stare Kaiba right in the eyes, "Lets get one thing straight, Kaiba. This is my office. My territory. My rules. So you have two choices. You can get out of my chair and find that gentleman I know must be buried under there somewhere, or I can call security and we can end this delightful conversation right now."

Kaiba just stared at her for a second and then smirked, "Finally, someone with wit and a backbone." He got up out of her chair and walked around to the front of the desk to face her, "Maybe you do have more to you than just beauty."

"Careful, such flattery my turn my head," Brighty smiled sweetly and batted her eyelashes at him.

Kaiba gave a harsh sounding laugh and moved in closer to her, "Our rivalry should be fun. Maybe I've found that worthy opponent at last."

Brighty fixed an innocent and confused look on her face and replied, "Funny, I'm still looking for mine."

Again Kaiba smirked and then turned to walk towards the door. "I think we have each others measure now. I look forward to our next meeting, Hart." With that, he walked out of her office.

Brighty practically melted back onto the desk top in relief. That was just one of the last people in the world she ever wanted to be in the same room with again. She reached back and pushed a button on the intercom, "Kendra, call Parker and tell him to get the car ready. I'm going home."

Round 1: Stand Still.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Dragon of the Shadows**

Brighty sat at her vanity table, contemplating the little glass box now containing two beads. "Such a strange day," she thought to herself. She stroked her new card peacefully as if getting reacquainted with an old friend. "So many things happening that I don't understand...And yet, they feel right," she said with a sigh and gazed blindly into the mirror for a moment. Instead of seeing herself; she saw a pair of cold, blue eyes and a haughty smile. "I'd like to melt those eyes. Make them warmer," she murmured to herself and reached out to stroke the glass.

With a jerk Brighty snapped herself out of her reverie, "Oh god! It's finally happened. I've lost my mind!" She shook her head to fully clear it, glaring at her reflection, "Stop falling for the enemy, girl! Why do you always fall for the wrong guy?" She stared a moment longer at herself and then sighed, "Like you're gonna give me an answer." She turned out the lights and went to bed.

----------

The clock chimed the midnight hour, the time when shadows were at their darkest. Moonlight spilled in through the windows, making a valiant effort to hold the shadows at bay. But in the darkest corner of the room, where such brilliance dare not go, the shadows shift and swirl. Slowly they solidify, forming into a being; a cloaked and hooded thing carrying a staff of gold in one ebony gloved hand. Wrapped in shades of night, nothing could characterize this specter as man or beast, male or female, the living or the dead; a dweller of shadows, neither here, nor there.

It glided across the floor like the shadows it came from, over to the bed and the sleeping girl. The brave moonlight shrank back from this dark presence but the soft glow about the girl repelled the shadows that masked the mysterious visitor. "So it is you," a deep whispering voice vibrated from the depths of the hood. "Come out, we need to talk," it stretched out the staff over the slumbering girl and the eye that graced its top gave a sickly glow.

The girl glowed a little brighter for a second and shuddered lightly in her sleep; slowly a semi-transparent figure rose from the sleeping girl's body. Unlike the girl, who was clothed in pajamas, this one wore a white dress like robe. It was slit on both sides up to her thighs. She wore many bracelets and armbands, a gold platted collar that covered her shoulders, and a gold chain link belt around her waist. And throughout her red-gold hair were little golden beads, twelve in all.

The ghostly girl gave a slight smile, "Hello, Shadow. You finally found me."

The cloaked figure bowed mockingly, "You hide yourself well, my lady. Even for one such as I, it was not easy tracking you down." The shadows swirled and probed at the light around the girl, testing their strength.

The girl's eyes hardened as she stared at the shadowed one, "You should know better, Kadeth."

A burst of light repelled the shadows and caused the dark being to falter back a step, "I had to know, Spes. You're not at your full power yet. I would never have been able to sneak up on you if you were."

Spes sighed and moved to look out the window. The moon and stars bathed the landscape in a soft, protective glow, but their light could not dissipate the veil of worry in her heart. "That is true," she replied. "I don't know what happened or why my power has been scattered like it is. But by not having my full powers, I can hide myself from the enemy for now. Which is for the best, my new self has yet to accept her destiny, and thus far we are not one." She turned from the window to look at him; her green eyes seemed to pierce the gloom that he had lived in for most of his life.

Kadeth shivered slightly; he knew those eyes saw more than he would wish anyone to see. The shadows could not mask his soul from her. "The others are slowly waking. I can feel their presence in the darkness, as we once again take up our duties," he said. "You wake more gradually than the others; I could just barely feel you. It was but a chance that I stumbled across you this soon."

Spes nodded, "Yes, I can feel the Fates playing their hands in our lives again. I think it's only natural that you woke first. Living in the shadows as you do, you feel them shifting and building before the rest of us. I may very well be the last to awaken, which may be to the good in the end." She glanced at the sleeping girl, "She's stubborn and won't listen to me."

Kadeth laughed dryly, "Just as you always were. So sure you were always right; ready to sacrifice yourself at a moments notice. In the light of your caring and love, the rest of us dimmed."

Spes blushed lightly, "I only ever did what was needed."

"Especially if it was for him," Kadeth drawled.

Spes spun away from him with a wounded look in her eyes, "It doesn't matter now. I've met his present self and...he doesn't even remember who he is, let alone us. Besides, his heart lies elsewhere now."

Kadeth gripped his staff in both hands, "We've been asleep for too long. There are gaps in my memories, things I know are important and should never have forgotten. But even back then we didn't know half of what was going on."

"None of us did. Except for Atem..." Spes sighed and shook her head, "It's hard to know what is expected of us now. With our memories sketchy and not even knowing who the enemy is."

"They yet hide in the shadows of this world. They wait and bide their time for something, though for what I do not know. I have looked for them but in vain have I searched. They conceal themselves well," Kadeth said gravely.

Again Spes sighed, "So we are yet at a stand still. The enemy's influence and power is growing but we are powerless to do anything. Our master has no memory of himself and the other Sages are yet lost in the darkness."

The soft glow that always appeared to surround Spes began to dim. Spes started flicker in and out of existence as the shadows pressed in closer around her.

Kadeth reached into his cloak for something and then stepped closer to Spes. In an icy, hard voice he berated her, "So this is to be it? The leader and light of the Elemental Sages is just giving up? We, who have defied time and death itself many times over to keep this world safe, are now going to condemn it to the shadows? Maybe you're not the person I remember."

Spes turned to glare at him and the light around her brightened as she snapped back at him, "I never wanted this. I never asked to bare this burden or this leadership!"

Kadeth stood his ground as they faced off in a battle of wills. Light and shadow clashed, searching for the slightest weakness in the other. "Has the Light of Ra dimmed? Has she become a coward? Too afraid to face her duty? Because why? Because things seem too hard? Because she is feeling sorry for herself? If this is the best the Light has to offer, than it is better to leave the world to the darkness," he said, his voice dripping with scorn.

Spes stared hard at Kadeth for a moment more, then relented and smiled, "You always could bring me back to my senses when I faltered. And the burden I carry could never compare to yours, dear Shadow." Spes reached into the hood of his cloak and tenderly stroked his cheek. In the soft glow of her hand a very pale and stern face could be seen. Dark, almost black eyes stared back at her with a tortured look in them. "How you have managed for so many years to not fully succumb to the darkness is beyond me. Forgive me, my friend, for losing faith," she asked beseechingly.

Kadeth pulled away from her gentle touch to hide his face in shadow once more before replying, "Even the strongest of people need a reminder now and then." He held out a gloved hand to her, "Lady Light, you are needed again to guild us safely through the darkness." In his out stretched hand rested a little gold bead, "Will you take up your duty, Priestess of Ra?"

Spes covered the palm of his hand with hers and said lovingly, "I never left it. Just as you have always watched over and protected us from the shadows, I too have done what I can in the light of Ra's glory." Spes sighed as she took the bead from him and moved back towards the bed and the slumbering girl, "Now go. You've stayed too long as it is." She sat on the bed and slowly began to merge with the girl again, "Find them, Kadeth, we have little time left."

Kadeth bowed and retreated back into the shadows from whence he came, "I will, my lady. May Ra's light protect and keep you safe."

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Brighty gasped and sat up in bed; quickly she reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. She glanced wildly around her room, searching every corner with frightened eyes. But nothing out of the ordinary could she find and yet she felt words still hanging heavily in the air. Breathing raggedly, her gaze is drawn to her closed fist and slowly she uncurled her fingers.

There, in the palm of her hand, rested a tiny gold bead, decorated with that strange eye. "Not again!" She wailed in dismay, "What is going on!"


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Wielder of Fire**

"I'm telling ya, Tristan, it was like having an angel walk into the room," Joey blathered on as he, Tristan and Yugi walked down the halls of Domino High to their class. "And when she smiled...Everything about her lit up."

Tristan rolled his eyes, "Including you it seems."

Yugi laughed at the antics of his two friends as Joey growled at Tristan, "What is that supposed to mean!"

"The way you describe her--I don't see how this girl can even exist. Besides," Tristan sighed dreamily, "No one can be sweeter or lovelier than my Serenity!"

Joey moved as if he was about to strangle Tristan, "She's not your Serenity!"

Yugi stepped between his two friends before they started a full blown fight, "Come on, guys. If you start this now we'll be late for class."

Tristan stopped glaring at Joey to look down at Yugi and asked, "What about you, Yugi? You met her as well right? What did you think of her?"

Yugi stopped in mid-step and became very thoughtful. He spoke slowly as if still trying to figure it all out for himself as well, "She's not a person you don't forget, that's for sure. I can't believe a week has gone by and no one in class seemed to notice her." Yugi's eyes grew distant as he stared off into space for a moment, "I feel as if I've met her before this and that I can trust her."

I too feel that way.

Yami? But no answer came from Yugi's spirit companion as the bell rang and the three guys jumped in surprise. They yelled in unison, "WE'RE LATE!" Dust flew in their wake as they raced down the halls to their class.

----------

Brighty was slumped over her desk half asleep when Yugi took his seat in front of her and chimed cheerfully, "Morning, Brighty!" Brighty jerked herself erect in shock, just barely saving her face from being slammed into her desk. "I'm sorry! Are you okay? You look awful," Yugi continued on in a concerned voice.

Brighty blinked her eyes at him owlishly, trying to clear her fogged mind. She smiled ruefully at him, "Good morning, Yugi." She yawned and rubbed her tired eyes, "Nothing to be sorry for, it's my own fault for not getting enough sleep last night."

"Problems at work?" Yugi asked.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Brighty said with a touch of lofty confidence. "No, my nights have just been plagued with nightmares of late," she answered with a small frown marring her lovely face.

"See, she's been dreaming about you already," Tristan said jokingly to Joey.

"Why you..." Joey swung at Tristan but Tea grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Not in the classroom, dimwit! Do you want to get suspended?" Tea asked with a touch of annoyance.

"Oh! I almost forgot," Yugi exclaimed repentantly. "Brighty, these are my friends Tristan and Tea. You met Joey at the game shop yesterday."

"Well I guess the bonehead didn't lie," Tristan stated as he examined Brighty critically. "But still you don't hold a candle to my Serenity," he said with a pensive sigh.

Both Joey and Brighty flushed a little and Brighty replied laughingly, "Well people in love hardly notice anything else."

"It's your lose that a guy like me is taken. Serenity and I are a match made in heaven!" Tristan went on to state. Yugi and Tea had the look of people long used to suffering through this and Joey couldn't seem to make up his mind to be angry or embarrassed.

"I think I'll thank my lucky stars and start to pray for her," Brighty said with a giggle.

Before Tristan could say anything to that, the teacher walked into the classroom and bid everyone to take their seats. Yugi turned around and whispered to Brighty, "We're all gonna get some ice cream after school, want to come?"

Brighty smiled with delight, "That would be great, of course I will."

"Settle down class," the teacher said. "Before we get into today's lesson I have an announcement to make. We have a new transfer student." A tall, slender boy walked into the room. He moved with the grace of a practiced fighter and there was an air of confidence around him to match it. He had long, dark brown hair that he kept back in a ponytail, and his deep-set, chocolate brown eyes had ever girl's heart aflutter.

Something about his eyes made Brighty a little uneasy. "They look far too hard for one so young," she thought to herself. "They've seen and suffered too much."

Tahliat? A soft and surprised voice whispered through Brighty's mind. With a start Brighty looked around to see who had said that but no one was talking. She glanced back at the new kid and their eyes locked for a second. His eyes narrowed and Brighty tried to catch her breath as waves of pure hatred battered at her. He glared a second longer and then broke the contact; Brighty took a shuddering breath as the attack ended.

Brighty shook her head and rubbed at her neck. "I'm just imagining things. I don't even know him! How could he hate me already? And now I'm hearing voices...I really need to get more sleep," she thought to herself with a mental sigh.

"Class," the teacher continued, "This is Evan. He just recently moved here from England. I'd like you all to make him feel welcome." The teacher looked around the classroom and then pointed, "There is an empty desk behind Bright Hart, Evan. Please take you seat so we can start class."

Evan took his seat and Brighty felt like he was barrowing holes in the back of her head. "God, it's going to be a long day," she muttered to herself.

-----------

Brighty almost cheered when the bell rang to release them for the day. She had never had a worse day at school in her life. Evan made her feel uncomfortable. He had been watching her every move all day. Additionally, since he showed up, she'd been hearing a tiny voice in her head. A soft voice, no more than a bare whisper, and she couldn't make out the droning words. But it was there all the same and it made Brighty jumpy. "I've finally cracked, all the stress of the past few days is getting to me," Brighty bemoaned to herself.

"Gah..." Joey got up from his desk and stretched, "I thought class would never end."

"Like you even paid attention; it looked like you were daydreaming about something all day," Tea commented as everyone gathered their stuff together to leave.

Joey flushed lightly and glanced quickly at Brighty and then away, "Well...uh..."

"Anyways, after such a long day we deserve a treat," Tea continued, not even noticing Joey's nervousness. "So let's go get some ice cream! I even invited Evan along as well." Tea smiled shyly, "I figured it would be a good way of making him feel welcome."

Brighty almost face vaulted at this bit of news but bumped into Joey instead, who steadied her before she fell on her face. "You okay?" He asked with concern and then got lost gazing into her green eyes. He jerked his hands back as if something had burned him when he heard Tristan snickering.

"I'm fine, thanks for not letting me fall. That would have been a rotten way to end the day," Brighty smiled in gratitude at Joey, who blushed with conflicting emotions of agitation and pleasure.

Yugi stifled his laughter for his friend's sake, "Let's go, guys."

---------

"Brighty, are you sure you're alright?" Yugi asked as they walked down the sidewalk together. Tristan and Joey were walking ahead of them, arguing over something as usual, and Tea was behind them walking with Evan. It annoyed Yugi a little to see Tea so taken by this new kid but there wasn't much he could do about it.

Brighty hesitated a moment before answering. She wasn't sure if she should really tell him this but something deep inside told her she could trust him and that he would even understand. "Not really," she said finally with a sigh. "There is something about Evan that puts me on edge. I get the feeling he doesn't like me much but I don't know why. I've never met him before this so how could he dislike me so much?"

Yugi glanced back at Evan, "There is something off about him. But what can he do with so many people around? I just wouldn't worry about it for now. Besides, we really don't know him well, it would be wrong of us to judge him with nothing to really go by."

"Yeah, you're right." Brighty smiled contritely and rubbed the back of her neck, "I'm just being paranoid, I guess. I think I just need a good night's sleep for a change, that's all."

"Hey guys!" Tristan yelled back at them as he and Joey turned down a side alley, "Let's take a short cut."

Brighty's heart gave a hard thump. She didn't know how or why; but she just knew that was a bad idea. Yugi must have had the same thought for he took off running after his friends, "Tristan! Joey! Wait! I don't think that is a good idea!"

"On the contrary, this is just the opportunity I was hoping for," Evan stated as he pushed Tea into Brighty, knocking both girls to the ground. "I hope you've made your peace with God, Miss Hart, because you're about to meet him." A fey fire seemed to light Evan's eyes as he glared down at Brighty with a look of pure malice on his face. Both Tea and Brighty gasped and cowered back in fear where they had fallen.

The guys had stopped in their tracks when Evan had made his little speech and then raced back to help the girls. "Tea! Brighty! Are you okay?" Yugi asked urgently as he knelt at Tea's side.

"No...my ankle..." Tea blanched in pain as she tried to stand. Tristan and Yugi steady her on her feet and Brighty stayed on the ground, stunned with disbelief at what was unfolding before her.

Joey stood protectively in front of his friends, "I didn't like the look of ya when I first saw ya and now I'm really pissed. No one hurts my friends, pretty boy."

"This doesn't concern you, monkey," Evan said mockingly as he reached at his side and appeared to grasp something. Then out of thin air he pulled a golden sword from his side. The hilt was decorated with a strange eye and the blade was etched with peculiar markings. "Stay out of this if you don't want to get burned," he warned as he held the sword sideways out in front of him, the flat of the blade laid across the palm of his hand. He muttered a few words in a language that hadn't been spoken in thousands of years. The runes on the blade glowed red at his words and then fire snaked from the sword, striking at Joey.

"What the--!" in shock Joey fell back to the ground before the fire could scorch him.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: A Solder's Destiny**

"Who is this guy?" Joey asked as he got back to his feet and wiped soot from his face.

"Who am I?" Evan glared down at Brighty, whose eyes were glazed over in a daze, "I am the one that will cleanse the world of those who would defile it."

"Is that so?" Joey stated as he stepped in front of Brighty, blocking Evan from her, "Listen psycho, ya gotta get through me first to get to her."

"If you wish to stand between me and my prey then I will have to destroy you too." Evan shifted into a fighting stance and in a blink of an eye launched himself at Joey. Joey barely managed to sidestep the thrust and countered back with a punch to Evan's stomach. Evan faltered back a step but his enchanted blade had still been able to nick Joey in his exposed side.

Evan coughed and tried to catch his breath after that blow to his stomach, "You're better than I thought."

"Not so bad yourself," Joey growled. "Get out of here! I'll keep him busy," Joey yelled at his friends over his shoulder, never once taking his eyes off his opponent.

"Joey..." Yugi started to say.

"No, Yugi, it's too dangerous. Just take the girls and run," Joey admonished him

"Now I can't have that," Evan said as he pointed his sword at them and again muttered a few outlandish words. A wall of fire sprang up behind them blocking their path of escape. Evan cackled with twisted glee, "What now, rodent?"

"You little..." In rage, Joey lunged at Evan but Evan parried by swinging his sword up in an arc slashing open Joey's arm. Joey wheeled back in pain, clutching at his wound with his good hand, as blood poured from it.

"Joey!" Tristan proceeded to rush to his friend's side.

"Stay back, Tristan," Joey groaned still holding his left arm to his chest trying vainly to keep from passing out from the pain. Blood coated the front of his shirt and dripped to the ground, pooling at his feet. "It's no good if both of us get killed," he said through gritted teeth.

"What a brave fool you are," Evan ran two fingers along the flat of his sword, and in their wake, fire bloomed into life. His sword now burned in an inferno of fire. Evan grinned sinisterly as he crouched down for one last attack, "but this is the end." Evan launched himself at Joey with a downward thrust.

Joey closed his eyes, and thinking this was it, he prayed for forgiveness from his friends and his sister and bid them farewell in his heart. At the last possible moment Brighty flung herself in front of him to shield him from the killing blow.

There was a blinding flash of light, and then the world faded away.

----------

All was quiet in the alley. Prone bodies lay scattered on the ground from the force of the blow. The fires had flickered away to nothing now that one controlling them was out cold and could not maintain them.

Shadows slipped and swirled among the bodies, probing at them, cloaking them in a murky mist. Sensing that all was still once more, a cloaked figure stepped from the shadows. "What a mess," he muttered. He stood over Evan and peered down at him thoughtfully, "Now how was she able to do that...?" Holding his staff over the boy he chanted a few words in a forgotten tongue. A small pin point of light gleamed from the depths of Evan's pocket, and slowly it floated up to eye level in front of the mysterious figure, "Ah, so that is how." Chanting a few more words the tiny light flitted over to where Brighty laid; passed out on top of Joey. The light dimmed and a little gold bead came to rest in her hand.

"Now then, to clean up this mess," he cleared his throat and raised his staff high. His dark voice chanted words of power; the mist thickened over the group, obscuring them from view and blunting the memories of today's events. With a sigh he lowered his staff and looked back down at Evan, "Too bad I can't erase their memories. Ah well, time to go, my friend." The two slowly dissolved along with the shadows.

----------

Evan slowly opened his eyes, or at least he thought he did. All about him was a sea of darkness; not even a faint glint of light marred the velvety blackness he floated in. "Where am I?" He asked in a strangely muffled voice, as if the void around him absorbed his words even as he spoke them, allowing nothing to leave its mark on the empty landscape.

Evan couldn't tell how much time passed as he floated, cupped in the darkness. It could have been only minutes or days for all he knew. But suddenly a tiny prick of light shimmered off in the distance. Not knowing what else to do he floated towards that light.

The closer he got, the light didn't get brighter so much that it grew. It grew until it was about double his size. Upon reaching the source of the light, Evan found himself standing in front of an arched, gold gilded mirror, and in the mirror... "My sword!" Evan reached out his hand to take his sword, thinking only of getting it and his power back so he could escape this place and find his prey again. But his hand only touched the smooth, cold surface of glass. "What..." Evan fumed as he scratched at the flawless surface, trying to reach the sword.

"Not 'your' sword, my sword," a strangely familiar voice echoed around him.

Evan wildly looked around, trying to spot the source of the voice, but his eyes only encountered the inky darkness. Finally he turned his gaze back to the mirror and a being slowly faded into view; a human that looked far too much like himself for comfort. This image, though, was dressed differently. Evan recognized the strange dress as being that of ancient Egyptian style. He was a soldier by the look of him, wearing a white wrap around skirt that was held in place by a belt of plated gold. He also wore a collar of plated gold and rubies around his neck that covered his shoulder and upper chest. Completing the look were gold arm bands and a hair clasp that held back his long, dark brown hair in a pony tail.

"Who are you?" Evan asked the image.

The soldier crossed his arms and gave Evan a measuring look, "I'd like to say I was you but by your actions today...I really wouldn't want to claim being you. So we shall say that I'm a reflection of who you could really be."

Evan snorted with disdain, "My reflection? Hardly. I know who I am and as for my actions, I am but following the path destiny has laid before me. I was born to cleanse the earth of those defiling it!"

The soldier shook his head, "It is true that you are meant to protect the world from evil, but I tell you now, you were going after the wrong people."

"How would you know?" Evan clenched his fists in anger, wanting to strike out and silence the warrior; but what damage could he do to a reflection? "You're just trying to confuse me and lead me from my path."

"No, Evan, I'm trying to help you find it again," the soldier reached out and clasped the hilt of the sword. It flared to life in his hand, and a red aura surrounded the blade. "It's time to awaken, Evan." Again the soldier reached out with his free hand, but this time towards Evan. To Evan's disbelief and horror the mirror rippled like water and the hand came forth from its depths. The hand clasped his wrist and pulled him into the watery depths of the mirror.

--------

Evan felt like he was drowning, drowning in a sea of memories, memories that were his and yet not his. A vision of himself kneeling before the pharaoh as he accepted his sword and gave his oath to protect the world with his very life. The sensation of a soft, gentle touch of fingers under his chin, and of gazing into the greenest eyes he'd ever seen. "You need never kneel to me, Tahliat," a soft voice reproached him. "We travel the same path and carry the same burdens, my friend." The warmth and comfort of this gentle person's presence was cruelly ripped away to be replaced by one of dread and torment. He was strapped to a table with men in purple robes standing over and around him. "He shall be a useful tool once we are done shaping him," a voice rasped. One of the robed men reached out and placed a hand on his forehead and then...Pain! They tore through the fabric of his being and warped him, leaving nothing but an empty shell full of rage, misery, and a lust for blood.

Evan couldn't breath. All these memories swirled around him, smothered him, and blurred the path of self. "Who am I!" He screamed in desperation and crumpled to the ground holding his head.

"Who do you want to be?" a mysterious voice asked.

Evan looked up and before him stood two people. One is the soldier Tahliat, looking proud, confident, and holding the golden sword. The other was Evan, but this Evan was cloaked in a tattered purple robe and had shattered, empty eyes. He too carried the golden sword, a sword coated in blood. This Evan was nothing but a tool; a puppet dancing to his master's will.

"Which path will you choose, Soldier of Fire?" The voice asked again.

Evan stared at the cloaked figure and it sickened him, knowing that this is what he had started to become. He got heavily to his feet and slowly he moved to stand before Tahliat with his head bowed in shame. "Forgive me, I had forgotten who I really was and lost my way," Evan asked meekly of the ancient soldier.

Tahliat smiled and held out the sword to Evan. "It's time to awaken," was all he said. Evan placed his hand over Tahliat's and the world around them blazed into fire. In its inferno Evan was cleansed of the darkness that had begun to warp his soul, healing him and allowing him to once again take up his oaths.

--------

Evan groaned as he slowly came to wakefulness. He was lying on his bed in his room, but how did he get here?

"It's about time you woke up." Evan rolled his pounding head slowly towards the familiar voice and spied a black cloaked figure reclining on a near by chair. "So, did you find what you were looking for?"

Evan shifted stiffly on the bed and his hand encountered the hilt of his sword. Smiling, Evan whispered, "Yes, yes I did." Closing his eyes, Evan drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

-------

Brighty sat at her vanity table and stared hard at the little glass box, now holding four of the little golden beads. The events of today were all fuzzy; all Brighty could remember was something about fire and blood. When they had all woken up no one could seem to recall what had happened, though Yugi had looked very thoughtful. There was a moment of panic when they noticed the blood caked on the front of Joey's ripped shirt but there wasn't a scratch on him. Brighty giggled, "Poor Joey," she thought. When he had woken up to discover her lying on top of him passed out...she giggled again, oh the look on his face! Tristan was never going to let him forget this one.

Brighty frowned and glowered at the beads seeking answers. It wasn't until after the panic of making sure everyone was okay that she had noticed it. She had opened her fist and there it was, neatly tucked into the palm of her hand. Brighty sighed, "What in the world is going on?"

At that moment the phone beside her bed rang startling her and making her jump a little nervously. Brighty got up from her vanity and answered it. "Hello...oh, hi mom," she groaned softly and fell back into the embrace of the bed. This was going to be a long conversation.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Encounters**

Brighty leaned her forehead against the fence and eyed her fellow students with envy. It was lunch time and everyone was outside enjoying the beautiful, sunny afternoon. "Everyone except me," Brighty thought mournfully. When lunch had begun she had escaped to the roof of the school seeking a little peace, but her search had been futile. A gentle breeze teased the ends of her hair and brought the buzz of merry chatter to her lonely ears.

Brighty shook her head trying to break free of her melancholy. Since waking in that alley yesterday her head had felt muzzy. She couldn't remember much of what happened and that frightened her. Top it all off with that phone call from her mother…it had been a very taxing day. Brighty shifted her contemplation to the azure sky. "I wish...I wish..." she confided longingly to the heavens.

"You wish what? Maybe I might grant it," a voice mocked.

Brighty shut her eyes in dismay and couldn't suppress a small groan from fleeing her lips. "Gods...what are you doing here!" she demanded in thinly veiled contempt. Of all the people in the world she would have wanted to talk to at the moment, this person didn't even make the list. "Seto Kaiba," Brighty thought with annoyance, "well there went any chances at finding tranquility."

"Just confirming some information," Seto replied nonchalantly. "Imagine my surprise at finding out you went to this school."

Brighty snorted and threw him a droll look over her shoulder, "I'm sure you were just overjoyed at the news." The nerve of this guy, she fumed. First invading her office and now this, couldn't he tell that she didn't want him around!

Seto studied Brighty's enchanting face; all traces of sorrow had been replaced with vexation. "Good," he thought, "at least she doesn't look sad anymore." Since their first encounter this girl had intrigued him. He had tried to delude himself by thinking it was because she was his company's rival. But after watching her for several minutes as the sun glinted off her hair, he wasn't quite sure what he was feeling.

Brighty narrowed her eyes in suspicion, the longer Seto remained quiet the more she worried. "What is his game? And what's he carrying," she thought. "Well?" she asked, "No comment?"

Seto smirked. "She really is beautiful when she is angry," he thought to himself. "Oh, yes, thrilled," he mocked, "stalking me in your off hours? Hoping to catch me in an unguarded moment and then I might let some morsel of information slip? And here I thinking you had more of an imagination than that."

Brighty whirled to confront him, her face flushed with fury. "You pompous, arrogant prick," she sputtered. She was incensed with a righteous anger, hardly able to find words to express her wrath. "How dare he," she thought as she balled her hands into fists barely able to keep from slapping him.

"Such language," Seto scorned. "Here I was searching for a little intelligence among the peasantry and when I thought I had found some...turns out to be nothing more than hot air." Seto grinned, he could almost hear her teeth grinding together, "my mistake." He set an oblong box he had been carrying at her feet, "I'll leave this with you anyways. The latest invention from Kaiba Corp. Thought you might like to drool in envy. Your pathetic little company can only dream about coming up with something so ingenious." Seto crowed darkly and sauntered back towards the exit. "Oh, by the way, you have a meeting with me tomorrow after school, your secretary has all the information," he said over his shoulder to her, "I'll see you then."

Round 2: Kaiba Wins

Brighty took a few deep breaths trying to calm down. She turned her burning gaze beseechingly to the heavens and screamed, "Is this some sort of punishment? Did I do something in the past life to deserve this torment?" Brighty searched the clear blue sky; she watched and waited for a revelation but none were forth coming. Brighty groaned in disgust and scrubbed at her face with her hands.

"He always did have that affect on you," a voice teased.

Brighty peeked through her fingers and spied the new kid, Evan, standing not so far away. He stood with his hands causally stuffed in his pockets and a few stray strands of his dark hair danced in the gentle breeze. "Come to attack me too?" she asked and then became puzzled at why he winced as if struck. "I'm sorry," she sighed. Brighty stretched and released the rest of her anger to be carried off by the wind. "You caught me at a bad moment," she said and sagged back onto the fence exhausted from her spent fury.

Evan shook his head, "no, my fault, I heard you were up here and just..." Evan stopped and frowned. He had come up here to apologize, he needed to apologize; he was weighed down by guilt because of what he had done to her yesterday and needed to purge his soul of it to feel whole once more. But Shadow had warned him to let it go, that she wouldn't remember it. He also urged him to keep his distance from her. What was he so afraid of?

That we will inadvertently reveal her presence to the enemy before she had regained her full power. Tahliat answered for him.

Oh...but I can't just stay away from her! I can't explain it, just that I can't, Evan complained to Tahlait.

Tahlait chuckled, I know that, so does the shadowed one. She has always had the power to draw people to her. She is of the light after all. By the way, she's starting to get suspicious.

Evan focused his attention back on Brighty and flushed. A frown marred her delicate face and her eyes had started to cloud with unease. "Uh...," he stammered as his mind went blank as he searched for something to say. Evan dropped his eyes from her attentive gaze and spotted the box Kaiba had left with her, "what's this?" Evan crouched down and picked up the box, then gasped in surprised pleasure, "the latest dueling system!"

"You're kidding!" Forgetting her weariness, Brighty knelt down next to Evan to better examine the gift. "Damn...I hate it when he's right," she grumbled. "Wow...look at the interface, this is going to make duels feel very life like."

"Yeah and its portable...amazing. Duels are going to be much more intense now. Ya know, for such a cold-hearted punk he sure can come up with some cool stuff," Evan said in awe. Brighty laughed and Evan grinned with pleasure at the vibrant sound.

His smile faded as he continued to gaze into her joyful face; guilt returned. "How could I have ever tried to kill her," he pondered to himself sadly, "to almost deprive the world of her laughter, I am a monster." His face burned with shame as he jerked his gaze from knowing eyes, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Warm, soft fingers tenderly cupped his chin, gently they turned his face so he could look no where but into her emerald green eyes. There he saw comfort, understanding, but most of all forgiveness. "Tahlait," she breathed his name softly. "I'm just happy you found your way back to us."

"Spes?" Evan asked in confusion.

Brighty-Spes smiled tenderly at him and caressed his cheek.

Light washed over Evan, filling every corner of his being with such splendor. Her vivid nimbus purged the last traces of guilt, of darkness, from his heart. No more would he be uncertain. No more would he waver from his path. In the wake of such radiance Evan felt revitalized, felt as if the very fires of his soul had been rekindled. Evan closed his eyes and took a deep shuddering breath to steady himself. "Thank you," he murmured in gratitude.

"What?"

Evan's eyes popped open and he examined Brighty. Spes had retreated back into the arms of Khnum but had left behind one very confused and very frightened Brighty.

Brighty snatched her hand away from Evan's cheek and shrank back away from him. "What just happened?" she asked in an alarmed voice.

"Oh great, how am I going to explain this," Evan thought to himself and cursed Spes silently for leaving him with this mess.

"How touching," a voice declared cynically into the awkward silence, "being forgiven just before I desolate you."

Evan watched as Brighty's face went pale and her eyes widened in shock. He carefully placed the box on the ground, then whirled on the balls of his feet to face the new speaker. This person was cloaked in a tattered purple robe and his cowl shrouding his face in shadows. Evan seethed with hatred; he knew what ilk had spawned this creature and he wanted nothing more than to incinerate their kind from the face of the world. Evan crouched into a combative stance and placed one hand on his invisible sword hilt; ready for whatever trouble this pest cared to start. He was only half conscious of Tahlait slowly merging with him. The ancient soldier offered Evan unswerving faith and confidence, they both had a debt to settle with this creature. A sense of calm settled over Evan and he demanded in an icy voice, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" it mimicked. The robe shifted and fluttered in the wind as it revealed one flame tattooed arm clutching an ebony sword. "I've come to take my sword back, traitor."


End file.
